NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Congestion pricing was already pushed back from its 2021 start date after the Trump administration neglected to approve the plan and on Monday, the MTA said the tolling program could be even further off.
The original plan was to have congestion pricing set up by early 2021 to charge a toll to drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street. The money would have gone to help modernize the subway but sign-off that was needed from Washington never arrived.
“We've been waiting for these approvals at the federal level and that's delayed the whole congestion pricing program,” said Ben Fried, communications director with the advocacy group TransitCenter.
They are hopeful that the plan will move forward next year.
“We think the Biden administration will be much friendlier to this program,” said Fried,
He notes, however, he was surprised to hear “the MTA now projecting the program may not get up and running until 2023.”
“It's one thing to say that this will take maybe eight months to a year, but more than two years just defies common sense,” Fried said.
He says it's on Gov. Andrew Cuomo now to push harder for it
“We need to see urgency, I think if we see urgency from the governor, especially, this can get moving much faster than a 2023 timetable,” Fried said.
Cuomo still has yet to pick members of a review board tasked with setting up the rules around congestion pricing.
In a statement the MTA says it's still waiting on clarity from the federal government as to what type of environmental review it will need to do, which will help determine when the program can get up and running .
“Given the inherent and robust environmental benefits of reducing traffic and incentivizing use of public transit, we believe a simple, short form, environmental review is appropriate in assessing the overall environmental impacts of New York’s proposed congestion pricing plan. The Biden Administration should formally designate the Federal Highway Administration as the agency to review the MTA’s application to clarify what is necessary for the process to move forward,” the MTA said.
The agency added: “Congestion pricing revenue is the single largest source of funding for the MTA’s 2020 – 2024 capital program. It will bring billions of dollars into the network for signal improvements, new elevators and other accessibility improvements, and track upgrades, among many critically needed projects to maintain and modernize our transit.”
The MTA is hoping congestion pricing can reduce air pollution and improve the health of millions of New Yorkers as well.
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